Only Lily and James
by LunaNotLoony
Summary: Only Lily and James would get together in the most unromantic way imaginable. Only because it was James and Lily, it was. Romantic. Somehow.


'Reese, I'm in love,' Lily said happily, collapsing on a seat by her best friend. Her red hair was slightly fluffy, and her eyes shining like emeralds.

'Yes!' Reese said, punching the air. 'I knew you'd fall for him, Lil!'

'He's amazing,' Lily giggled. 'Witty and kind and handsome!'

'Completely,' Reese said, looking around for someone to share the joke with. As they were alone in the common room, she winked cheerfully at the ginger cat preening by the fire. 'You're completely perfect for him,' she added earnestly. 'And him for you.'

'I know, right?' Lily said, sighing, staring dreamily at Reese's transfiguration essay. 'He asked me out right after dinner, and I said yes, of coarse...'  
'Yeah, of coarse, you'd never, ever turn him down, would you?' Reese said, smirking.

'Never!' Lily cried. 'It was so romantic! He handed me a single red rose and said-.'  
'A rose? James would never give you sometimes as cliched as a rose...' Reese said, suddenly suspicious.

'Yeah, Potter would probably give me five bottles of firewhiskey, and tell to get really drunk and hook up with him,' Lily said, sniffing disapprovingly. 'Or a horrible cracked mirror like last time...'

'That was a magic mirror,' Reese said, in the tone of one speaking to a dim-witted five year old. 'But anyway... you said- aren't you-?'  
'He's so hot,' Lily muttered. 'Yeah- oh yeah, what were you saying?'  
'You just said- you said,' Reese trailed away, looking dismayed.

'What?' Lily said irritably, eager to pour of her story of how he'd asked her out.

'Well- AREN'T YOU IN LOVE WITH JAMES?' Reese bellowed, and Lily jumped up like the chair was electrocuted.

'No!' she said, looking disgusting. 'He's just an arrogant, bullying git!'  
'Who happens to be in love with you,' Reese said, looking plaintively at her.

'So?' Lily shrugged. 'He'll get over me one day.'

'But you're perfect for each other!' Reese snapped. 'Why can't you see that, Lily?'

'Maybe because there is absolutely no romantic tension between us!' Lily snapped back. 'I don't give a damn about Potter, really I don't.'

'Your an idiot,' Reese said, standing up too. 'You really are.'

'Oh, I'm an idiot, am I?' Lily said furiously.

'You're in denial!' Reese wailed. 'No, Lily- you are! You love him and you don't care one bit about whoever just asked you out!'  
'Chad Rayner,' Lily said, her voice like ice.

'Whatever!' Reese snapped. 'You love James!'  
'I'd thank you not to tell me who I do or do not love, Reese,' Lily said.

'I have to, because your too stupid to see it yourself!' Reese shouted. 'You and James are-.'

'James!' Lily spat out. 'James, James, James! Stop going on about him! I've finally got a boyfriend, I boyfriend I love who seems to like me back, and all you can say is that Potter is in love with me!'

'Because he is!'

'And so what?" Lily said, practically in tears. "I couldn't care less what Potter thinks about me- fine, he loves me, but I don't love him back. I love Chad!'  
'That jerk-.'

'I hate him!' Lily screamed, tears running down her pale flushed face. 'I hate him! Today would have been brilliant, completely brilliant, but you and Potter have ruined it. Potter ruins everything! Everything!'

'He doesn't,' Reese said, in a far more gentle tone, because she really did care about her friend. 'Don't say that, Lil. It's just you two really do, go, you know.'

Lily gave a hiccup and laughed weakly. 'When I was about _eleven,_ I used to spend hours giggling over who "went" with who.'

'Well, you and James, you really go,' Reese said. 'Honestly, you do.'  
'Yes, and did you know?' Lily pressed on. 'Not one of our predictions from when we were eleven came true- not a single one.'

'But now we are seventeen, and a bit more... knowledgeable about things like that.'  
'Reese, I _hate_ Potter!' Lily said, rather coldly. 'I was on- on cloud nine about Chad, I felt really great, you know, and now-." Lily shrugged. 'Thanks to Potter and you I feel like an early night. Goodnight.'

'There's a thin line between love and hate!' Reese shouted as Lily stomped away and slammed the door.

'Idiot,' Reese sighed, watching the door shake in it's frame. 'I really don't know why I bother.'

'I hate him!' Lily moaned, and collapsed on the steps, shaking with tears. 'I hate him- I hate him- I hate him!'

'Well, Lilykins, I heard a very.. disturbing rumour about you.'

'That's nice, Potter,' Lily snapped. 'And my name is Evans, actually. Try it, Eee-van-sss. Repeat: Eee-van-ss.'

'Some demented person seemed to actually believe you were dating one spineless Ravenclaw called Rayner,' James said, grinning.

'Well, they were wrong,' Lily snapped, and James' whole face lit up. 'I am dating a clever, handsome, funny boy called Chad Rayner, actually, Potter.'

James' face darkened.

'What do you want to go out with _him_ for?' he asked. 'He's-.'

'Since you yourself are so arrogant you cannot even imagine that a girl wouldn't fall head-over-heel for you, I don't really think you're entitled to judge anyone, Potter,' Lily snapped.

'Harsh, Evans, harsh,' Sirius laughed.

'Harsh, is it?' Lily snapped, swinging round to face him. 'You're such a bully my last comment was positively sweet compared to the unjust things you say to random Slytherins that happen to get in your way. And at least it was true.'

James looked stunned, but Sirius laughed heartily.

'Now, goodbye and good riddance,' Lily finished, turning round so fast her red hair whipped her neck.

'Wow, keep your hair on!' Black laughed.

Lily turned on the spot, arms folded so tightly it looked like she wouldn't unravel them for several years, and raising one eyebrow. 'Comeback of the century, Black,' she said loftily. 'Honestly, you and Potter are so pathetic it makes me laugh.'

'I know you are so what am I?' James shot back. 'But wait- did you say you _laughed_? Impossible!'

'Huh,' Lily said, rolling her eyes, and she walked away.

'She's struck-dumb!' Sirius said, grinning.

'Chad Rayner?" James repeated quietly, once Lily was out of earshot. "What is the matter with her, seriously?'  
'Siriusly,' Sirius said.

'Are you Sirius?' James replied, grinning slightly.

'Yep, James, I am.'

'That must be the hundredth time you've cracked that joke,' Peter said, shaking his head.

James stared moodily after Lily.

'Maybe we are a bit pathetic,' he admitted.

'No, we're not!' Sirius, Remus and Peter all shouted together.

'No," James said. 'But, well, I just wish I could win Lily over.'

We know," Sirius, Remus and Peter said together.

'What were you talking to _Potter_ about?' Chad said, taking Lily's hand.

'I was telling him to get out of my life,' Lily said grumpily.

'Good,' Chad said.

'Potter is the most annoying person I know,' Lily said. 'And everyone wants me to go out with him! But I hate him!'  
'I would be quite upset if you fancied him.'

'No way! I fancy you, Chad!'

Chad smiled and kissed her passionately.

'I love you, Chad,' Lily whispered, running a hand through his silky blond hair.

'I love you too, Lily,' Chad murmured, sliding a hand round her waist, and closing the gap between their lips...

_SPLAT!_

'ARGH!' Chad shouted, staggering backwards so fast he stumbled and fell onto his bum, wiping a sheet of mud from his face. Mouth pressed into a line, looking almost freakishly like Professor McGonagall, Lily turned to look at James, slicking a drop of mud out of her hair.

'Sorry, Lily,' James said. 'I was only aiming at Rayner.'

'Potter.'

'Admit it, he does look funny,' James said.

Lily glanced at Chad, and for half a second, her lips twitched, as if she was about to smile. Then she raised her wand, and said, 'depulso'. There was a great, rushing noise and the ground beneath them seemed to rise, and hurtle at James. The torrent of thick, gloppy brown mud slammed so hard into James he practically cartwheeled backwards, and landed in a heap of bones- at the edge of the Great Lake. As he gasped and scurried in the slime, hands digging frantically in an attempt not to fall, mud pelting like a hurricane at his robes, his face... he even spat out what looked like a slug... the mud seemed to knock him backwards, and with a satisfying 'plop', James vanished into the water.

"He looked hilarious," Lily said, between fits of laughter, as James crawled out of the lake, his hair plastered to his forehead, his skin dripping with slime, water and mud, and the black of his robes completely hidden from the oozing mud. 'Completely hilarious- only not half as funny as YOU!'

Under the mud, James' cheeks were bright red. He looked quickly round and was glad to see the plane was deserted, apart from Lily and Chad. Only _Lily_ had seen, and she was worse than twenty others.

'Thanks a lot, Rayner,' James said.

'Why are you telling him off for?' Lily said, grinning. 'I pelted the mud.'

'Well... do you want to go out with me?' James said, wiping mud from his eyes.

'No, Potter,' Lily said snappily. 'I'm with my _boyfriend_.'

'Oh, yeah...' James said, scowling. 'Oh, and Rayner, there's a worm in your hair.'

Smirking as Chad desperately ran his hand through his hair, James darted off.

'_Is _there a worm in my hair?' Chad asked, once James had vanished.

'Er, yes,' Lily said, picking it out. 'God, I'm sorry.'

'Yeah, it's easy to say that, isn't it?' Chad said. 'These robes are ruined.'  
'Well- you saw Potter,' Lily said, plastering a fake smile on her face.

'I didn't see him,' Chad said. 'My face was covered with mud.'

Lily smiled. 'Potter's a jerk.'  
'And he fancies you,' Chad said, his voice accusing.

'I know..' Lily sighed.

'And you fancy him back.  
Lily's eyes widened, flashing angrily.

'I do not, Chad,' she said loudly. 'In fact, I hate him. I think he's an immature, dumb, bullying, arrogant git who thinks he's the centre of the universe. But since everyone seems to utterly sure I'm destined to be with him, we shouldn't see each other any more!'

'What?' Chad said, thrown. 'I didn't mean that!'

'I've had enough, actually!' Lily shouted. 'I've been trying to tell people that I hate him for years and nobody will listen to me! Nobody! He's a total bully; I've been the butt of his so-called pranks for years, and I'm supposed to _like_ him! I've had enough!'

'Lily, Lily!' Chad protested. 'I didn't think-.'  
'No, nobody seems to be thinking!' Lily screeched. 'How anyone could watch Potter and think I like him is beside me! I've had enough!'

'Lily- but we-.'

'We?' Lily said quietly. 'We- are- over!'

Furious, Lily stormed away, leaving Chad standing dumbstruck.

'Then you do like him?' he yelled after her.

Lily ignored him.

It had felt good, at first, to dump Chad. Somehow, it gave her a rush of adrenaline, excitement, made her feel powerful, in charge. Only now, after she'd realised what she's done, blank shock registered. What the hell had she done? Didn't she love Chad? Or something? Now everyone would think she liked Potter, and she didn't- she really didn't. She wondered if she should scurry after Chad and apologise, but she was too _proud_- too stupid. What had she done, when everything had been going perfectly, when she'd felt so joyful and excited? Now it was over. She felt empty, wounded, and then the culprit formed in her mind- the obvious culprit, who'd ruined her life again.

James Fucking Potter.

Lily hated him.

Lily hated him.

Lily hated him so much it hurt.

Every time her time seemed to be on track, one messy black haired boy with hazel eyes who strutted through her life ripping it to pieces.

And Lily wasn't exaggerating.

Tears suddenly poured from her eyes, and Lily blinked desperately, wiping them furiously away. She wouldn't cry.

'OY, Lily!'

Snorting, Lily looked around, prepared to slap them if it was Potter, or Black. Except, it was Reese, and she looked as angry as Lily felt.  
'You bitch, Lily!' she snapped, grinding to a halt in front of her. 'You men, self-centred little bitch!' Then she drew back her fist and slammed it painfully into Lily's nose, sending her staggering back, blood running down her face.

'What the hell?' Lily said, genuinely confused- she had prepared to slap, be not be punched herself for God's sake. And she hadn't done anything.

'What did you do?' Reese said, taking a sharp, steadying breathe. 'I- sorry- just lost control.'  
'Well... fine,' Lily said slowly, wiping blood away. She couldn't stay angry with Reese, when she was her best friend. 'Only- what did I do?'

'Don't act all innocent,' Reese said.

'I'm _not_! I just don't know what happened."

Reese goggled at her, then shrugged. 'Well, Lily, James is currently crying his eyes out in the boys toilets, and Sirius came out and told me that he was saying something about you- Lily. So you've managed to make James cry, congratulations."

Lily's mouth fell open. James- cry? The last time she'd seen a boy cry was in junior school. And- because of her... Really? She never meant to make James cry. Seriously, she never _cried_ when James annoyed her, only of coarse she wasn't in love. That was scary. She made James cry. She'd been thoughtful, taken advantage of his crush... a bitch.

"Where is he?" she said, her voice cracking. "What... toilet?"

"On the third floor," Reese said, blinking. "But you can't- it's a boys toilet."

"Whatever," Lily said, and charged past Reese, nearly knocking her to the floor. She didn't stop until she was standing outside the boys' toilet, but she could hear Reese hammering up the stairs behind her, so she flung open the door, and went inside. She heard them, before she saw them. James was sniffling, a pathetic, broken noise, and one of his friends was awkwardly dragging their feet across the grubby toilet floor. Through a crack in the door of a cubical, she could see them, though their backs were to her.

It was a miserable sight. James was crumpled on the floor, head in his hands, his friends standing round him, looking bemused and shocked, and the whole space had stench of urine.

"So... James, explain," Sirius was saying.

"I've told you already," James said, hiccuping slightly.

"Explain... again," Sirius said.

"Remus, tell Sirius," James said, dragging himself to his feet, and moving away. Lily could no longer see him, but she heard the sound of running water, and a splash.

"He's upset over Evans," Remus said patiently. "She was with that boy of hers... and I think she pushed him into the lake."

"He didn't get that muddy just from the lake," Peter squeaked.

"I'm not _that_ muddy," James said irritably.

"Um, yeah mate, you are," Sirius laughed.

"Oh, shut it," James snapped. "I've been crazy about Lily since second year, and now she hates me, and your just- just- oh, whatever."

There was a slightly awkward silence, then Remus, Sirius and Peter spoke together. Behind the door, Lily could barely listen, she was cringing so much.

"Yeah, James, look, have a sweet... well, don't eat it in here, that'd be disgustingly unhygienic, but, oh, _James_."

"Hey, James, I don't know if you ever noticed, but Evans has always hated you, why are you blubbing about it now?"

"Huh, forget James, Evans is just an annoying nerd- see, me and Sirius had plans to prank all the Slytherins, wanna see?"

Lily felt she should have been bristling with indignation- she was _not_ a nerd- but at the moment, the only emotion she had time for was amazement. What, was Potter a human being after all?

Just then, James moved so she had a face-on view of him through the crack in the door, and Lily let out a tiny gasp. James face was dirty, and smudged, and there was even a small purple coin-shaped bruise on his forehead. With a rush of guilt, Lily realised that the mud had probably contained some stones- god, she couldn't believe she'd done that... she had behaved like Potter. Except, Potter wasn't behaving like Potter. That was what made him look so completely small, the way he walked, all limping, shoulder drooped, head bowed.. urgh, it wasn't Potter. Just for moment, Lily grinned, imagining his giggling group of fangirls seeing him like this. So un-hot it was indecent.

"I don't think she's a nerd," James said quietly, and broke off, an attempted a smile. "But I've given up on her."  
"Pete's right, though," Sirius chipped in. "She's as much of a nerd as Remus-."  
"Hey!"

"-and she's a scrawly and fierce ginger cat too."

'No..' James said, just as Lily just into fits of load, hearty laughter.

"Who's there?" Peter said.

"It's Lily!" James groaned, his hand springing to his hair.

"Well, isn't that just dandy," Remus muttered.

Sirius crossed the cubicle in a stride, and pushed the door open.

"Welcome, Lily darling," he said, mock-bowing. "Come inside, come inside."

"Am I the only one who's noticed we're in a toilet- a boy's toilet, and Lily is a girl?" Remus said.

"I noticed she was a girl long, long ago, Rem," James muttered, and turned to Lily, with flaming cheeks. "Er, how much did you hear..."

"She's been standing eavesdropping for the last five minutes," Reese said, strolling up to them.

"Oh, _great_..." James moaned.

"James," Lily said quickly. "I just want to say that I didn't really ever know, I mean..."

"Know what?" Sirius said.

"That, well, James felt so... _strongly_ about me..."

Both James and Lily blushed frantically, and looked anywhere but each other. Everyone else in the room was either politely looking away (Remus), staring and muffling giggling (Peter and Reese) or laughing openly (Sirius). Lily groaned- if James didn't really like her, she insulted him, which was strangely since she'd been doing just that cheerfully for six and a bit years without embarrassment; unless James or Sirius had a really good comeback.

"He lurves you, Evans!" Sirius said, and they both glowered at Sirius and blushed even redder.

"Well, anyway, well, you've got that blondie Ravenclaw now, haven't you?" James said awkwardly.

"Um, no," Lily admitted.

"No?" James said, slightly hopefully.

"I dumped him," Lily said.

"Really?"

"Oh, yes, I did."

"I thought you liked him."

"I do."

"But..."

"I dunno."

"What do you mean, you dunno?"

"I mean, I don't know. Well, I like him..."  
"Oh."  
"But I'm sure how I like him."

"You mean you just like him as a friend, or something?" James asked dryly. "Though why you'd like him in the first place..."  
"James Potter, Chad's quite nice!"

"Quite nice?"

"Yes."

"That, Lil, sounds good."

"What do you mean?"  
"If you liked him you wouldn't call him quite nice-."

"You'd call him adorable, passionate, beautiful, amazing, clever- James called you that!"

"Shut up, Black... er, do you really, James?"

"Only once," James admitted. Um... if looks could kill, Sirius would be dead on the floor. Well, if looks could kill, the human race would have died out _long_ ago, and Lily would have some day killed James.

"James!" Lily cried, slightly overwhelmed.

"Lily...?" James said, looking at the floor, blushing and smiling sweetly.

Lily burst out laughing again and rushed towards James, in a sudden rush of happiness, and threw her arms around him, completely without thinking. They clung to each other to several seconds, Lily's dark red hair mixing with James' black, and Lily laughed softly. Then Lily remember this was Potter- _Potter-_ James Potter, for crying out loud, and jerked away, almost throwing herself away from him, appalled.

"I did not mean-."

"Just SNOG!" Sirius shouted.

"Well..." James shot a look at Lily. "Don't mind if I do."

With a gusty laugh, James flung himself on the stunned, red-haired witch, and their lips met. Taken by surprise, Lily was lifted off her feet, she was spinning... only was it the kiss, or her? Reese gave a low whistle, and her cheeks burnt, and just to prove it was just a split second nothing, lightly slapped him.

"Ouch," James said, stung, releasing her.

"We're in a toilet, James!" Lily said sharply. "Don't look at me all big-eyed... this is a boy's toilet, anyone noticed?"

"Me," said Remus.

"Well, well really, this is the most unromantic setting ever!" Lily said. "A boys' toilet, with everyone watching, and besides, I'm not sure I do like you in that way, anyhow!"

"Yeah, yeah," Reese said.

"Look," James said, dragging Lily out of the toilet. "Let's go somewhere private to discuss this..."  
"Discuss?" Sirius said loudly. "Like we'd believe that!"  
"Sirius, let them go," Remus said. Under his breathe he added, "of coarse you've got James' cloak right now, haven't you?"

As soon as they had rounded a few corners, James grabbed Lily's sleeve and shoved her into a broom cupboard.

"OK, shut up now, and let's, well-."

"James, I said, I'm not sure about you," Lily reminded him. "And I'm definitely not sure out sharing a broom cupboard with you."  
"What?" James yelped. "Oh yeah... I didn't, we're just hiding in here till Sirius and those guys come here after is... they are sure to eavesdrop."

"Oh," said Lily, relieved. "Right, good."

"Lily?"

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say I really do like you."

Even in the broom cupboard, James could see how red Lily's cheeks now were.

"Um, thank you."  
"Actually, Lily," James said softly and passionately. "I think I love you..."

"Thank you."

"So.. do you want to go out with me?"  
Lily grinned. "You've asked me that so many times I've lost count. And you're always _so_ ambiguous- why not 'go to the cinema' or whatever?"  
"Cinema?"  
"It's a muggle thing, James."

"Right? So.. do you?"  
Lily took a deep breathe. "I've always found you infuriating, only now, it's like I've realised you could be sort of nice. In fact, I think you're human... and I've just realised that you have really nice hair..."

"So..."

Lily kissed him swiftly on the lips. "Yes."


End file.
